The World Summit in Johannesburg and Denmark's National Strategy for Sustainable Development

The World Summit in Johannesburg and Denmark's National Strategy for Sustainable Development

Biodiversity

Biodiversity and varied nature is a precondition for securing the development opportunities of nature and for sustainable exploitation of natural resources. Some natural areas in Denmark are of international significance and are therefore an international common property and responsibility

The Johannesburg Plan highlights that there must be a significant decrease in the loss of biodiversity before 2010 and efforts for special protection of the marine environment and fish resources

The Danish government has just presented an action plan for biodiversity and make amendments to the Danish Nature Protection Act and the Danish Forest Act in order to enhance protection and conservation of nature.The action plan will target efforts and contribute to meeting the objective of stopping the loss of biodiversity before 2010.The Government will also propose amendments to the Danish Agricultural Holdings Act to help increase the natural content of agricultural land.

Following the EU Habitat Directive, Denmark will designate areas for protection - the so-called Natura 2000 areas. In order to raise the level of Danish administration of habitat and bird protection, there is a need for a supplement from the resources allocated by the EU for Natura 2000.

In 2003 the Government initiated a number of pilot projects to establish national parks in Denmark. It is important that there is a comprehensive dialogue between users and other interested parties on a special Danish model for national parks.We need to achieve greater cohesion between productive use, preservation of nature, and outdoor recreation.

The distinctive plant and animal life in Danish shallow-water marine areas and coastlines is of great European and international significance and are thus an international responsibility and common property. Denmark has designated 254 EC habitat areas and 112 EC bird-protection areas. The majority are wholly or partly marine, and comprise the so-called Natura 2000 network.

Protection of marine nature requires international cooperation. The Government is taking part in developing and implementing a European Marine Strategy, to be completed in 2005. The objective of the EU Marine Strategy is that impacts from different environmentally dangerous and chemical substances, nutrients, and fishing should be reduced significantly.

The Johannesburg Plan highlights the need to make efforts to maintain and restore fish stocks on a sustainable basis before 2015

Danish commercial fishing is primarily regulated through the EU Common Fisheries Policy. Some of the commercially exploited fish stocks in the North Sea and the Baltic have been described as "outside biologically safe limits" by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

One of the objectives of EU fisheries policy after the reform in 2002 is to create a balance between fisheries efforts and catch capacity.The general objective is that over-fished stocks must be restored as quickly as possible through specific management plans. Restoration plans have been made for fish stocks in the Baltic, and work is being carried out on a long-term cod recovery plan for the North Sea

Under the Danish Presidency, the EU Council of Ministers adopted a Council Declaration on specific implementation of the Johannesburg Plan. One of the central elements of the Common Fisheries Policy is to secure sustainable exploitation of living marine resources through application of the precautionary principle, as well as to strengthen ecosystem management and integration of environmental concerns in management of fisheries.The EU has also adopted measures to achieve a better balance between fleet capacity and fisheries possibilities.

According to the Johannesburg Plan countries are encouraged to speed up implementation of the proposals from the UN forest fora and report on this work to the United Nations Forum on Forests in 2005. Moreover, it has been stressed that there should be immediate action against trade in illegal timber

One of the main objectives in the Danish National Forest Programme from 2002 is sustainable forestry, based on near-to –nature forest- management principles.The status for realisation of the National Forest Programme, including new forest legislation, will be included in reporting to the United Nations Forum on Forests. Denmark will continue its efforts to promote more binding international cooperation on forests within the UNFF, the Biodiversity Convention, European cooperation, etc.

Since Johannesburg, Denmark has implemented great efforts to combat illegal felling of timber and stop Danish imports of illegal timber. In June 2003, the Minister for the Environment issued guidelines for public procurement of tropical wood. Denmark places high priority on effective and rapid follow-up to the European Commission‘s Action Plan to Combat Illegal Logging and Related Trade, which was published in May 2003.